Pilot/Plot
The small and seemingly ordinary New England town of Eastwick is commemorating its Founders Day, and its townsfolk are out in the town square celebrating. Among the residents joining in the fair are Roxie Torcoletti, a financially-challenged widow who makes and sells arts and crafts for a living, Kat Gardner, an overstressed housewife and mother of five who works as a nurse at the hospital, and Joanna Frankel, an uptight and shy reporter for the local newspaper. At Roxie's art shop, her daughter Mia airs her concern about their finances. Roxie assures Mia that she need not worry. She then finds a fifty cent coin on the floor and thinks her luck will soon change. As Chad, the young stud she is dating arrives at the shop, Raymond Gardner, Kat's lazy and unreliable husband, criticizes Roxie for being a cradle-snatching slut. While Kat and Raymond have a picnic with their kids, Kat takes the coin her son found in the park. In another section of the town square, Joanna and her best friend Penny discuss their job and Joanna's lack of assertiveness. Will, the local paper photographer and Joanna's office crush, overhears Joanna talking about vibrators. After an even more awkward conversation with Will, Joanna walks away with Penny. She then picks up a coin which hit her head out of nowhere. Meanwhile, Bun Waverly, the head of the Eastwick Historical Society, reads a tale about the legends of Eastwick to the children. As she tells them the story of how one event changes the lives of ordinary women and how they discover their true nature, Roxie, Kat and Joanna converge at the fountain and make simultaneous wishes with their respective coins. All of a sudden, the winds start blowing hard and red ants attack Bun even before she finishes her story. Joanna accompanies Roxie to the hospital as she waits for news about Bun's condition. Kat, who is working at that time, comes out to the waiting room and tells them that Bun suffered a minor stroke but is now stabilized. Roxie then invites the two to have a drink later that day. While having drinks and snacks at Roxie's place, the three women become fast friends as they talk about their impressions of each other prior to that eventful day. After sharing their frustrations and shortcomings, they each reveal the wish they made at the fountain. Although they desire different things, Roxie, Joanna and Kat all want change to happen in their lives. In another part of town, Darryl Van Horne, a mysterious man from out of town, arrives at Eastwick riding his dark limousine. The following morning, Roxie wakes up from an odd dream as Joanna struggles with her hangover at the office. Will comes to her desk and encourages her to pursue the political feature she wishes to write for the paper. Joanna then apologizes to Penny for missing movie night with her. Clyde, their sleazy office boss, sees them talking and brushes their boobs as he squeezes his way between them. Joanna asks him for a chance to write a more interesting piece for the paper, but Clyde declines and instead tells her about Van Horne who recently bought the legendary Lennox estate and the town newspaper. At Roxie's shop, her earlier dream comes true and she receives a personal invitation to Van Horne's mansion. Even as he insults her and her work, Darryl asks Roxie to make a statue of him. Thinking Darryl's business proposal also involves getting in bed with him, Roxie defends her dignity and turns him down. At her home, Roxie wakes from another bad dream and tells Chad that he needs to leave since she has guests coming for dinner. During dinner, Kat and Joanna questions Roxie about Van Horne and their meeting. In the meantime, Mia sneaks her boyfriend Gus out of their house. The next day, Joanna chances upon Will while having her coffee, which spills all over her blouse. After Will leaves, Darryl swoops in and persuades her to write an article about him and the corruption within the town council. They schedule an interview later that night. As she is about to leave for work, Kat tries to talk Raymond into getting a job and helping out with the expenses. As Kat continues to nag Raymond, the ground shakes violently, throwing him off the hammock. Later at the hospital, Bun unexpectedly wakes up and warns Kat of a coming darkness. At the Eastwick café, Joanna interviews Darryl on his vested interest with their town. Instead of answering her questions, Van Horne makes Joanna realize her potential and her hidden talent. He tells Joanna that she possesses hypnotic powers that she has never used in the past. At work the next day, Joanna decides to test her supposed powers on Clyde and asks him for a promotion, which he willingly grants. Still unconvinced of her talent, she looks a co-worker in the eye and asks for the donut he is holding. After his officemate obliges, Joanna tries to hypnotize Penny but oddly fails. Roxie, Joanna, and Kat meet at a restaurant and talk about the recent strange occurrences. Darryl walks in and meets Kat for the first time. He tells her of the nurturing and destructive powers she unknowingly possesses. As he admires the three women, Van Horne lets them drink water which allegedly contains magical properties. While Kat and Joanna enjoy their drink, Darryl reminds Roxie of his previous business proposal. Intoxicated from the well water, the three women runs out into the town square and playfully thrash around at the fountain. Raymond catches Kat and drags her away from her newfound friends. Kat waves goodbye to Roxie and Joanna and goes home with her family. While riding with Darryl in his limo, Roxie falls asleep and dreams of Mia being sexually harassed by her boyfriend. Roxie realizes that her nightmare is actually about to happen that night and that her daughter is in danger at that instant. They proceed to the place in her dream and arrive just in time to save Mia from Gus' unwelcome advances. At the Gardners, Raymond yells at Kat for what she did at the park. Kat stands up for herself, defends her actions, and demands respect from her husband. Raymond angrily leaves, and Kat follows him out of the house. Releasing all her pent-up rage, Kat yells back at Raymond, who is suddenly struck by lightning. Kat races him to the emergency room. After Van Horne brings Roxie and Mia home, she thanks him for helping her save her daughter. Finally falling for Darryl's seduction, Roxie kisses him twice but slaps him every time and sends him home. At the hospital, Raymond blames Kat for what happened to him while Kat asks for a divorce. Raymond agrees but threatens to take away the kids. At her office, Joanna orders Clyde to quit harassing his employees and to give her money. Her boss obliges once again. She then uses her hypnotic powers on Will and convinces him that he is in love with her. After they kiss, Joanna realizes her error in judgment and that what she wants is a real relationship. Back at Roxie's place, Roxie finds Chad doing work on her house and preparing dinner for the both of them. In the meantime, Darryl visits Bun at the hospital and lies to Kat about his reason for being there as they see each other. Kat tells Darryl about her recent marital problems, and Van Horne kindly offers her legal help. After another nightmare, Roxie calls Joanna and describes the man in her dream. While talking on the phone, the same man walks into her shop, and Roxie drops the phone in shock. Penny catches Joanna walking on the street and shows her papers revealing that Van Horne is not the man he says he is because the real Darryl Van Horne is already dead.